Good news on Agape Table

iven the relationship that saint ben’s has cultivated over the years with Agape Table (through our weekly collection of fresh fruit, a couple of fund-raising initiatives, and several grants of $1000 or more from our community outreach budget), we thought we’d like to share a good news story connected to their work.

Sean was instrumental in transforming Agape Table from a soup kitchen that served approximately 300 people daily in to a community nutrition centre. Based on the four philosophical pillars of nutrition, empowerment, dignity and community, Agape Table programming has been expanded to include a subsidized breakfast, a low-cost grocery, lowcost clothing and arts, crafts and music programs. In spearheading this transformation, Sean has been a role model, mentor, coach and leader to the board, staff and clients of Agape Table. Additionally, Sean volunteers his time in support of other community organizations.

“Sean has very much been a force for change and innovation in his time at Agape Table. Sean was not content with being a band-aid or the boy with his finger in the dam. . . . Agape has improved as a direct result of Sean’s breadth of involvement, tireless enthusiasm, commitment of many hours and keen intellect challenging the status quo and societal preconceptions.”

On a rather less official level, the people from our community who have had contact with Sean have always found him to be level-headed and fair-minded, yet at the same time quite willing to dig in with just the right kind of stubbornness to get things accomplished.

And we suspect that he’d just brush this all off, insisting that Agape Table can really only do its work because of the work and shared vision of its staff and volunteers.